Recruiting Forum Football Talk II

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

While I really hate to admit it, I do think this is a 5 year rebuild. The talent gap is so huge. Even at RB where we have some solid players there’s no comparison to what UGA and Bama have. There is simply an exponential drop off in talent when you get passed the top 4-5 teams in the country. But I really really like our young talent on both sides of the ball and believe we are headed in the right direction. The only way to turn a program around quicker than 4-5 years these days is to have an elite QB.

IMO we are not that far off. I think we win yesterday if Josh Dobbs was still our QB. The only reason the score got out of hand was turnovers. We are a QB away from competing with anyone. We still lack quality depth and that will come with more classes. But we lack in the most important position and we are unwilling to take a shot with any of the young guns.

 

[Aesius]

While I really hate to admit it, I do think this is a 5 year rebuild. The talent gap is so huge. Even at RB where we have some solid players there’s no comparison to what UGA and Bama have. There is simply an exponential drop off in talent when you get passed the top 4-5 teams in the country. But I really really like our young talent on both sides of the ball and believe we are headed in the right direction. The only way to turn a program around quicker than 4-5 years these days is to have an elite QB.

Pruitt also took over a program that was literally rock bottom in the SEC. Kirby took over a 10 win program and Mullen took over a program that had just won the East two years in a row. They had very minor rebuilds and plenty of talent to work with.

 

[JCP201]

Deshaun Watson put an end to the "Clemsoning" narrative. Elite QB and we can do the same. Feels like with JG we are stuck in a holding pattern where we can not take the next step until he leaves.

That too-- Gene Chizik and Ed Orgeron prove that. Even Josh Dobbs allowed Butch to look better then he actually was.

 

[Weezer]

That’s true. That being said, we’ll do better against Bama than we did against UGA. They don’t have that defense

Bama game could tell us a lot. Maybe we're not as talented as Bama, but we're more talented than Ole Miss and they went toe to toe with Bama last night. The talent argument only goes so far, then we get into execution. And if players aren't executing, that's on the coaches to fix. We're past the point of excuses. People need to wake up and see reality rather than continuing to fall back on the same tired tripe that has seen us spiral into a mediocre football program. The goal is to climb back up into that elite echelon and lying to ourselves that everything is okay doesn't accomplish that. I love Pruitt as a coach, but I'm particularly bothered that this far in, JG is still making the exact same mistakes, has the exact same deficiencies , and yet is still, somehow, our best option. That's a problem.

 

[SpringBokVol]

Deshaun Watson put an end to the "Clemsoning" narrative. Elite QB and we can do the same. Feels like with JG we are stuck in a holding pattern where we can not take the next step until he leaves.

I think our coaches need to take the next step and play someone else.

 

[KB5252]

Deshaun Watson put an end to the "Clemsoning" narrative. Elite QB and we can do the same. Feels like with JG we are stuck in a holding pattern where we can not take the next step until he leaves.

It's not a matter of when he leaves, it's a matter if when we get someone better than him unfortunately.

 

[reeceb73]

Bama game could tell us a lot. Maybe we're not as talented as Bama, but we're more talented than Ole Miss and they went toe to toe with Bama last night. The talent argument only goes so far, then we get into execution. And if players aren't executing, that's on the coaches to fix. We're past the point of excuses. People need to wake up and see reality rather than continuing to fall back on the same tired tripe that has seen us spiral into a mediocre football program. The goal is to climb back up into that elite echelon and lying to ourselves that everything is okay doesn't accomplish that. I love Pruitt as a coach, but I'm particularly bothered that this far in, JG is still making the exact same mistakes, has the exact same deficiencies , and yet is still, somehow, our best option. That's a problem.

I don't see how we can score enough points to keep up with bama. Our d might slow them down a little, but they will score a lot of points.

If JG is our starting qb against bama, he will have to have the game of his life for us to have a chance

 

[Batman1948]

BTW, I thought Arkansas got screwed big time. When I saw Nix turn and spike the ball I said immediately that it should be a fumble. I did not hear an official explanation of the review ruling, but if I was an Arkansas fan I would be furious as to why it was not a lost fumble, since an Arkansas player smartly dove on the ball once Nix spiked it.

The explanation that was given by the SEC was that the ball was not immediately recovered by any player. None of their explanation made any sense and just made them look bad. My guess is that Arkansas may get some very friendly whistles before the season is over.

 

[vol4eva]

We’re very close, if not already, near the talent levels of UF and Aub. Bama will eventually come back to earth. They’re not what they once were. We just have to keep stacking talent and finding difference makers.

A coaching change is absolutely the worst thing we could do.

 

[drvenner]

Raiders!

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

LOL at AP. He was praising Friend just last week. Note to AP; pretty much none of the OL were developed over the offseason. No spring ball, and most of the OL missed so much of fall that we didn't have enough linemen for scrimmaging. You can't develop individual players into a cohesive unit if they can't practice.

I was going to say it. Just last weeks pod cast they were praising the OL and how we’re 11 deep full of guys who can and should be playing. Now after that game AP wants to say there’s no development? Uh, okay

 

[Z06VolinWV]

Saban has been at UA, what 9/10 years?
Smart got dealt a loaded deck at UG and has been recruiting lights out for 4 years.
Mullen has been a proven HC for what 7-8 years, and again didn’t exactly take over a sh!t roster.
Pruitt has 2.5 recruiting classes and is in his 3rd year as hC and we’re suppose to be beating the likes of the above mentioned?
Yes, would be nice, and would nice to put a full competitive game together against them, but we are now beating the teams we are suppose to. One step at a time here.
Give Pruitt a full 4 year recruiting cycle and I think we’ll be there, or damn close.

 

[Orangeredblooded]

Nope. However, in year 3 we’re still losing every big boy game by 3 TDs. At some point I would at least expect the gap to reduce in these big time games but that hasn’t happened yet.

How does 1 translates to every?

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

good post

It’s the quarterback. We need one.

Dabo was on the verge of being fired until Taj Boyd went there (thanks Kiffin )

Boyd was good, built them up, Watson got them over the hump. And now they’re benefitting from a crap conference. Although GT and maybe Miami seems to be improving

 

[Weezer]

We need to at least let Jp recruit a full time before people are on here dogging him. He’s had 2 recruiting classes. His first full class are just sophomores. Let’s see what happens when he gets 4 full classes of his guys in here

This may be an unpopular take, but this is how I see it. If Pruitt can't get us over the hump, I doubt anyone we're willing to pay can. Unless we're willing to go out and pay big money for a big name, which we've continually shown we are not, there is nothing gained by screaming to replace him. So people starting the early waves need to realize that. Pruitt has the right personality and attitude for UT. Barring the aforementioned stepping up for a big name, which won't happen, we're best served by his continuity than making another mid-level hire that nets us the same overall results.

I like Pruitt. I hope he stays. But he does need to start making some hard choices. I know his staff is situated to recruit, but he needs to step back and look at the player development part now. Just being able to recruit is not enough. If we can't develop that 5* potential, then signing 5*s doesn't do much.

 

[bpvol]

We need some guys at RB that can make plays also. I like Chandler, but he goes down first contact. I like Gray, and he’s shifty and can really play. But I watch Ga’s freshmen carry 5 of our guys for a first down. We don’t have backs who can do that. We need Evans back in this class and we need Brown the tank to get here also. Wright will be a nice replacement for Gray but with more speed when it’s his time

Their RB’s had some lanes to get up to speed as well...

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

Miami up 14 on San Fran?

Karma for cutting Jennings.

 

[MemphisVol3]

I still love this man

George Pickens really needs to get decked by somebody.

 

[DarkAvenger]

This is my summary of the game yesterday.

 

[JacketVol]

We’ve lost every big boy game by 3 TDs since Pruitt took over. 0-7 to UGA, Bama, and UF.

First step to beat the teams we used to always beat and move to a tier 2 team. Looks like we are doing that. Need it to continue. Last step to move to a tier 1. Get to closer after two real classes but we couldn’t just skip and do that in a little over 2 years. Got to wait and see how this year ends and then see where we are at. Then looking next year at breaking the tier 1 type team but will probably be year 5 before that should be expected to happen. No short cuts from 0-8 and no real class because of early signing period in 2017.

 

[Z06VolinWV]

I still love this man

I was yelling at the tv it was SO blatant!! There were a ton of missed calls

 

[JohnnyD1024]

 

[JacketVol]

We’re very close, if not already, near the talent levels of UF and Aub. Bama will eventually come back to earth. They’re not what they once were. We just have to keep stacking talent and finding difference makers.

A coaching change is absolutely the worst thing we could do.

If we fired CJP for anything other than criminal activity this year, I would pull my support outside of minimal amount to keep my basketball seats.

 

[The Dog]

UT has the right man in Coach Pruitt and he and his staff do develop their players. We just need an elite QB and a power back to go along with Gray, next year. Hoping that's CB7 and I do agree with an above poster, we need to get Evans, back. I'm hoping the elite QB is already here or Salter is as good as I think he.

I still think UT should win 7 games, this year and if another QB can take the job from JG, maybe more. But, if UT rides with JG all year, we will probably lose one, we shouldn't, so 6-4 and this team is better than that.

 

[UTSuave’]

Is Polarizing Guarantano the Right Quarterback for Tennessee?